Bacteriological quality of water used for ice making in some parts of Kano metropolis, Nigeria

Abstract

A study was carried out on the bacterial counts of water used for commercial production of ice. Total of twenty samples (ten raw water samples and ten ice samples) were collected at random from ten different locations, and subjected to aerobic mesophilic bacterial and coliform counts according to FAO/WHO standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater. The results showed that the raw water had mean aerobic plate count of 2.05 x 103 cfu/ml, coliform MPN ranged from <2 to 110coliforms/ml and two samples yielded E. coli. The ice had mean aerobic plate count of 7.90 x 103cfu/ml and coliform MPN ranged from <2 to 130 coliforms/ml and four
samples yielded E. coli. It is recommended based on the findings that the commercial ice makers should observe hygienic practices in all their operations, so as to reduce the chances of contamination and possible infection by the microbial contaminants.